MMDA eyes motorcycle-only lane along EDSA

Aika Rey

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The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority says a new lane can be created just for motorcycles if the existing lanes become 'slimmer'

ADDITIONAL LANE. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority seeks to decrease the width of EDSA lanes to allow for the creation of a new lane just for motorcycles. File photo by Darren Langit/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) plans to have an exclusive lane for motorcycles along EDSA, if the so-called road diet proposal pushes through.

MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia on Thursday, January 31, said they are eyeing a motorcycle-only lane right next to yellow lanes, which are only for public utility buses.

Garcia explained that the existing blue lane, which is supposed to be for motorcycles, is “not exclusive,” meaning private vehicles may also use it.

The Metro Manila Council (MMC), the governing board and policy-making body of the MMDA, convened on Thursday and approved the drafting of a resolution to study the road diet plan. A technical working group will be created.

The MMDA is proposing to make EDSA lanes’ width “slimmer” – narrowed to 3.05 meters. This is a few centimeters wider than the original 2.8-meter proposal.

The new width estimate is based on a study conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways, which noted that roads along EDSA can be reduced but only up to 3.05 meters.

At present, EDSA is 5 to 6 lanes wide, each spanning 3.5 to 3.7 meters.

Garcia said decreasing the width would allow for the creation of a new lane for motorcycles.

“Even if we narrow the roadways, it is still safe for the motorists,” he said.

Under the road diet plan, EDSA lanes will be segregated accordingly:

  • 2 lanes for passenger buses
  • 1 lane for motorcycles
  • 3 lanes for private vehicles

The 2016 World Resources Institute study, where the MMDA based its proposal, found that narrower lanes have the lowest crash fatality rates. Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Paris are among the cities with lanes spanning 2.8 meters to 3.25 meters only.

Aside from the road diet study, the MMC also approved a resolution calling for the passage of a uniform anti-jaywalking ordinance in the capital region.

In 2017, the MMDA recorded a total of 110,025 road crash incidents in the metropolis. EDSA topped the major roads with the most crashes at 12,635, followed by C5 Road at 5,794. (IN CHARTS: How deadly are Metro Manila roads?– Rappler.com

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Aika Rey

Aika Rey is a business reporter for Rappler. She covered the Senate of the Philippines before fully diving into numbers and companies. Got tips? Find her on Twitter at @reyaika or shoot her an email at aika.rey@rappler.com.